Campus News

Bowdoin to Host National Ocean Policy Symposium Oct. 15-16

Story posted October 08, 2010

The way in which the United States manages its marine resources is undergoing major changes. The new National Ocean Policy recently unveiled by the Obama Administration could have significant implications for many stakeholders and for the health of marine ecosystems.

The Bowdoin College Coastal Studies Center is hosting a symposium October 15-16, 2010, to examine the implications of these policy reforms.

Photo: Mike Tillotson '08

"The goals of the new policy are worthy and noble, but it is not yet clear how the policy will be implemented, and this uncertainty is unsettling for some people who have close ties to the sea," says Damon Gannon, director of the Bowdoin Scientific Station on Kent Island.

"The devil is in the details and there will be plenty of details when it comes to implementation. The Symposium on National Ocean Policy is one of the first public meetings that will bring together stakeholders, government representatives and academic researchers to discuss what the National Ocean Policy means for the Gulf of Maine."

Keynote Address: Former U.S. Rep. Tom Allen '67
The symposium kicks off Friday, Oct. 15, at 5:30 p.m., with a reception and poster session in Morrell Lounge, Smith Union, followed by the keynote address, "A National Ocean Policy: Moving Ocean Management into the 21st Century," by former Maine Congressman Tom Allen '67, co-founder of the House Oceans Caucus, at 7:30 p.m. in Kresge Auditorium, Visual Arts Center.

The symposium continues 8 a.m.-6:30 p.m., Saturday in Smith Auditorium, Sills Hall, with presentations by experts including 2005 MacArthur Fellow and Visiting Coastal Scholar Ted Ames, Island Institute President Phillip Conkling, University of Maine Professor of Marine Sciences and Economics Jim Wilson, and others. Registration is required; the events are free and open to the public.

Panel Discussion
A "town hall" type of forum featuring a panel of experts that will discuss the new national policy will be he held Saturday, Oct. 16, at 5:30 p.m. in Smith Auditorium, Sills Hall. Panelists will include economists, environmental lawyers, biologists, fishermen, representatives from advocacy organizations, and representatives from state and federal agencies. No registration required; the panel is free and open to the public.

The Symposium on National Ocean Policy is sponsored by Bowdoin College, the Joseph McKeen Center for the Common Good, Sea Grant Maine, Coastal Studies Center, Bowdoin Scientific Station, Environmental Studies Program, and Biology and Government Departments, and through a gift from Trustee Geoff Rusack '78, P'13, and Alison Wrigley Rusack P'13.